Aware of the multiple open conflicts and latent tensions in the
Mediterranean, the women of the Mediterranean and Europe gathered
together for the first time in Marrakesh in order to affirm the
role of women in the construction of peace in the
Mediterranean.
The Marrakesh Women's Summit, encouraged by the hope emanating from
the peace process initiated between the PLO and Israel (and which
it hopes to see extended to the entire region), desirous of
reinforcing the multiple initiatives of cooperation for the
development of the region and underlining the necessity of
recognizing and supporting the role of women in the impending
peace, has established networks of women parliamentarians, women
leaders of non-governmental organizations, businesswomen, and
female journalists and students in order to achieve this
objective.
The Mediterranean and European Women's Summit
Conscious of the need to assure all peoples of the world the
right to peace Noting with deep concern that in spite of the new
international context which has emerged with the end of the cold
war and ideological confrontation, a number of internal and
regional conflicts have provoked massive and systematic violations
of the most elementary rights of innocent peoples. Condemning in particular the inhuman fate reserved for women
in regions of conflict, notably the systematic rape used as a
weapon of war in ethnic cleansing. Affirming that the solution to conflicts and their
prevention rests in the peaceful resolution of disputes through
dialogue, confidence-building, and the fostering of mutual
understanding based on the recognition of the right to
self-determination and the nurturing of fruitful cooperation
through dynamic solidarity. Considering that the stability of the Mediterranean region
is a key factor in the achievement of global peace and that it must
be an objective for each of the peoples and bordering states.
1. Commits itself to defending the right to life, to peace
and to security at the national, regional and international
levels.
2. Declares its solidarity with all the victims - especially
women - of conflicts, occupation, racism, and all forms of
extremism and violence.
3. Notes with satisfaction the mutual recognition between
the government of Israel and the PLO which has led to the signing
of the Interim Self-Government Arrangements, as a first step
towards replacing the relationship of enmity and occupation with
one of mutual respect and coexistence based on the right to
self-determination.
4. Recognizes that the success of the peace process
necessitates the acceleration of the implementation of the accords
to move as quickly as possible from the interim to the final phase
of negotiations, the removal of the immediate obstacles to peace,
and the addressing of all outstanding problems, notably Jerusalem,
the refugees, the settlements, the security arrangements, borders
and other issues of common interest.
5. Commits itself to act, to enlarge and consolidate the
peace process to the other countries involved, notably Syria,
Lebanon and Jordan.
6. Condemns the barbaric aggression against
Bosnia-Herzegovina, and considers that it is the duty of the
international community to defend the sovereignty and the
territorial integrity of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
7. Expresses its solidarity with the people of
Bosnia-Herzegovina, and in particular with the female victims of
inhuman treatment and unspeakable suffering. A just peace must be
guaranteed to the people of Bosnia-Herzegovina, a peace which
rejects the policy of ethnic purification and brings to trial all
the criminals of this war.
8. Declares its support and solidarity for all the women of
ex-Yugoslavia who work together for peace.
9. Our thoughts are with the women of Cyprus and we demand a
just and viable solution for Cyprus through the good offices of the
United Nations.
10. Demands that the United Nations take urgent and
necessary measures to assure the implementation of and compliance
with those resolutions devoted to the equal rights of all the
peoples of the region to peace, prosperity and development.
11. Commits itself to promoting programs of education for
peace which highlight the value of tolerance, sisterhood, humanity
and solidarity with justice, which are the foundations of peaceful
coexistence among all the peoples of the earth, and in particular
the peoples of the Mediterranean and Europe.
12. Commits itself as well to struggle against
discrimination, intolerance, extremism, violence, and other
misdeeds which endanger women or undermine their rights and their
achievements.
13. Proposes to set in motion concrete initiatives to
promote democratic processes, development, and respect for all
human rights.
14. Demands that the international community guarantee that
in the case of an embargo, the life and health of civilian
populations in general, and of women and children in particular, be
preserved.
15. Expresses the fact that its commitment against war
involves an effort to cease the production of arms, the initiation
of a policy of disarmament and the conversion of military
production for civilian uses.
16. Affirms that the realization of a universal and durable
peace cannot be attained without the full and equal participation
of women and the promotion of more balanced international relations
and the reinforcement of cooperation between states.
17. Calls on all states to implement effectively the
Declaration and the Program of Action adopted by the World
Conference on Human Rights in June 1993 in Vienna, regarding the
equal participation of women and men in the maintenance of
international peace. The maintenance of peace is inextricably
linked to the presence of women on an equal footing with men, in
positions of responsibility at all levels and to their contribution
to the choices and political decisions taken both at the national
and international levels.
18. Recognizes the efforts of the European Unions in
Mediterranean development policy and underlines the decisive role
which women must play in the redefinition and promotion of
development strategies which capitalize on the specific qualities
of women.
19. Convinced that only a coordinated program of action will
bring a solution to the vicious cycle of poverty, ignorance, female
unemployment, population explosion, and degradation of the
environment
20. Decides, on the occasion of International Environment
Day, to send a message to all governments encouraging the
participation of women at each step of planning for a sustainable
development.
21. Notes that although the right to education is a
fundamental right for all without any exception, two-thirds of
illiterates throughout the world are girls and women.
22. Demands that all efforts be deployed by all governments
to eradicate the illiteracy among girls and women in the
region.
23. Calls on Europe and especially on the Summit of Heads of
States and Governments of the European Union to take place in Corfu
on June 24 and 25, 1994, to make the education of girls from the
primary level onwards and the professional training of young women
the priority of their Mediterranean policy, translating it into
appropriate programs that will benefit from financial
assistance.
24. Demonstrates its determination and its political will to
mobilize every European and Mediterranean government to improve the
legal, economic, social and health status of women including family
planning.
25. Demands the substantial augmentation of development aid,
which must be directly linked to policies for the promotion and
progress of women, and in particular to the Palestinian territories
in this crucial phase of their national development.
26. Decides to develop the relationship between women of the
Mediterranean and Europe, to increase their access to positions of
responsibility at all levels, and to create or consolidate networks
(WAM Women's Action Mediterranean), in order to achieve peace in
the Mediterranean and to emphasize common values while respecting
differences. For this purpose, it decides to give priority to
contacts in particularly sensitive areas: the exchange of
democratic experiences through interparliamentary dialogue,
communication via the media, civil society through non-governmental
organizations, the advancement of the economy by
businesswomen.
27. Pays homage to all the women who have fought for peace
and who often have lost their lives for this struggle.
28. Decides to send the present Declaration to the
governments concerned, to the institutions of the European Union,
as well as to the General Secretary of the United Nations.
